Stephanie Perry, Administrative Manager of Psychiatric ClinicsA mental health and wellness clinic specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning individuals will open Monday, July 20 at UAB. The mission of the UAB LGBTQ Mental Health and Wellness Clinic is to provide culturally competent outpatient psychopharmacology and therapy that is safe, supportive, and affirming for the LGBTQ community in Birmingham and surrounding areas. Additionally, the goal is to raise awareness of the unique mental health needs of this community and provide culturally sensitive training opportunities for health care professionals. "We want to increase the knowledge and trust between LGBTQ patients and their medical providers", said Stephanie Perry, Administrative Manager of Psychiatric Clinics. Larry McMillan, M.D., who will see patients at the clinic, hopes the new clinic will be a welcoming environment where those who identify as LGBTQ will feel comfortable enough to seek assistance for their mental health needs.

Yogesh Dwivedi, Ph.D., Elesabeth Ridgely Shook Endowed Professor and Director of Translational Research, UAB Mood Disorders Program, in the Department of Psychiatry has been awarded a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Dwivedi is searching for a biomarker that will indicate the likelihood of a person’s attempting suicide. This grant will be used to follow up promising preliminary findings — that specific microRNAs (miRNAs) may be associated with suicide ideation. Congratulations to Dr. Dwivedi on being recognized for receiving this grant and for being acknowledged for his very exciting and valued research.